MAC MEDIA DAY RECAP - IT'S ALL ABOUT THE PANTS (KIND OF)

It happened a couple times during the Mid-American Conference 2011 Football Media Day in Detroit on Tuesday. Northern Illinois quarterback Chandler Harnish, an engaging master's student about to turn 23 years old, would greet a member of the media, or someone from the Mid-American Conference, even uDrove Humanitarian Bowl Executive Director Kevin McDonald. And during the conversation, Harnish would get the comment "nice pants," to which he would smile, laugh and nod, knowing the individual had heard the story.

Were the comments on his attire because Harnish looked especially good? It wasn't like he was sporting bow ties like the two Western Michigan players, or wearing his Indianapolis Colts tie in honor of the end of the NFL lockout and his home-state team. The pants weren't neon green, rumpled or unusually baggy, just a regular pair of black slacks that looked as if they were purchased with his suit jacket.

In fact, the pants were brand new, purchased the previous day by his friendly media relations director after two stops and an hour of running around in nearby Ann Arbor. And don't worry, Harnish paid for the pants the moment he got off the plane and into the car. They fit, matched perfectly and NIU compliance signed off on the entire transaction.

The story did get around, though. That's the price you pay, Harnish.

Don't worry, Harnish's defensive counterpart, Sean Progar, does not escape without a story either. Because the next day, after the NIU contingent checked out of the hotel and arrived at Ford Field, and the players were enjoying breakfast before the media day festivities began, an urgent text arrived from Harnish's phone.

"Progar left his phone at hotel" it read.

Of course, it was a joke, right? Had to be.

No, not a joke. Progar had indeed, left his phone in his room. A quick call to the Marriott Renaissance Center sent housekeeping up to Progar's room to secure the phone and deliver tothe front desk. Luckily, Sara Doeren, Coach Doeren's wife, had accompanied her husband to MAC Media Day as the two drove over to Michigan. She was able to go BACK to the hotel and retrieve Progar's lifeline.

So, two Huskie players at media day, two mis-placed/lost/forgotten items. What does it mean?

Are the Huskies so intent on preparations for the upcoming season that they can't be bothered with details like pants and phones?

Is this the first omen of a return trip to Detroit in December, as Sean Progar put it on the @NIUAthletics twitter on Tuesday?

For now, just a fun sidelight to the day.

Hope you caught the MAC Media Day coverage -both written and video. Fred Mitchell of the Chicago Tribune showed why he's the best in the business. He drove up to the Motor City for MAC Media Day, interviewed all three Huskies, posted his story and posted this video interview with Harnish before leaving town.